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Catapult Provides Extensive Interface for Handheld Terminals
ECRS Receives Highest 5-Star Rating for Third Year in a Row
By Brent Dirks, CPA, EA, MCSE
ECR Software Corporation’s Catapult continues its traditions of
a solid, well-rounded program that offers some unique features not seen
in other packages, including Register Emulation, function generators,
and Register Guard, a data redundancy system that lets each terminal continue
to function even when the network is no longer online. Catapult has seen
very little in the way of enhancements since our last review, but then
again, that speaks for the product’s maturity and stability. (The
company did note that the following features will be available in its
July 2003 version release: remote store-to-store instant on-hand lookup
via IP; direct store delivery feature; and WIC tender automation.)
Installation is a fairly simple process, using a wizard-based installer
that pre-selects the applicable items for installation. Catapult uses
the Sybase Adaptive Server Anywhere database (included), so it must be
installed as part of the initial setup. Quite a number of other things
may need to be configured before you actually begin using the software,
depending on which features you wish to use and how much customization
you’ll need. With its Register Emulation feature, Catapult provides
one of the the most highly customizable point-of-sale interfaces that
I’ve seen, so if you already have a traditional cash register system
and you want to emulate the keyboard layout and functionality, plan on
spending a few days learning the system and getting everything to look
and work the way in which you’re accustomed.
As mentioned above, Catapult also provides several “function generators”
that are flexible and powerful. By creating profiles, you can customize
many aspects of the program’s operation to save time and effort.
A generated function is somewhat like a mini-program that can be executed
with a user-defined keystroke. For example, a buy-one-get-one-free discount
function might be programmed as the item’s base price times 50%.
This function could be attached to a user-defined key-stroke or touch-screen
button. Function generators are provided for discounts, item keys, paid
out/paid in, 10-key menus, customer lookup, dynamic key menus, item lookup,
prompts, speed keys, taxes and tenders.
Catapult comes with two predefined screen layouts; default keyboard and
default touch-screen layout. Screens are defined as a set of six regions:
Status, Entry Transaction Data, Key Pad, Number Pad and Totals. These
regions can be placed at different areas on the screen, or in the case
of Key Pad and Number Pad, hidden altogether. The Key Pad and Number Pad
regions are visible when you are using a touch screen so that amounts
and alphanumeric data can be entered. For keyboard use, these regions
would typically be hidden to provide additional room for Transaction Data
and Totals. The Key Pad is an area of the screen that contains standard
cash register buttons, such as item search, customer search, discounts,
price level and tenders.
The program provides a fairly extensive interface for use with handheld
terminals (HHTs). Catapult can utilized batch-based, traditional RF (radio
frequency) or browser-based RF terminals. The handheld terminal is loaded
with one or more electronic worksheets for on-site data collection or
verification. After the employee has collected the physical inventory
information, the data is then uploaded back into Catapult for analysis
and/or adjustment.
RegisterGuard is a feature that ensures that individual register terminals
will continue to function even though the network is offline or inaccessible.
Critical information such as price promotions, item lookups, customer
lookups, credit, debit, and electronic bank transfer transactions can
be configured to be continuously available from the local register so
that sales transactions can continue uninterrupted.
A good number of predefined reports and graphs are available for preview
or print. All reports utilize the Seagate Crystal Reports print engine,
which allows them to be exported to Microsoft Word and Excel, ASCII or
HTML formats, or even distributed via e-mail. Catapult also integrates
with an optional label printing package called LabelVision for enhanced
bar code labeling.
Catapult is an agile, highly customizable package that should satisfy
small shops or multi-location enterprises with its multi-store synchronization
capabilities. Once the initial setup is complete, the Register Emulation
feature can potentially save many, many hours of employee training and
orientation. The company works through a network of dealers who are trained
to assist with planning and implementation. Customer support plans are
available, including web-based and e-mail support.
Reprinted with permission © 2003 The CPA Software News
For more information, contact ECRS at solutions@ecrsoft.com, call us toll free at 800-211-1172, or fill out our information request form
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